GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) -Packers coach Mike McCarthy called a hit that Raiders defensive end Derrick Burgess made on Brett Favre low and unnecessary.
Favre, making his 250th consecutive start, got hit twice by Burgess, once on a play before the 2-minute warning that left Favre limping in Green Bay’s 38-7 victory over Oakland on Sunday to clinch the NFC North.
“It was one of those ‘Ooooh’ (hits),” Favre said after the game. “It didn’t particularly feel good and it was an awkward way to fall for me.”
Favre fell from the contact, which caused his legs to stiffen from the shot to the shin. McCarthy wasn’t as upset on that play as the one later in the second half, when Burgess caught Favre around the lower part of the knee.
“The (first) he was in contact with the tackle and then was pushed a little, but the other one he went low on him,” McCarthy said Monday. “It was clearly evident. It was unnecessary.”
Neither hit drew a penalty.
Packers offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said he thought the hit was questionable, too.
“It looked low, kind of right around here,” Philbin said, pointing at the side of his knee. “I’m not an official, I don’t spend a lot of time on that and I don’t claim to be a rule expert … but one of them specifically looked like it was very questionable.”
Raiders coach Lane Kiffin said Burgess slipped.
“There is one that you can tell he definitely slips … and there’s no way he was going low (on purpose),” Kiffin said. “Being here with Derrick for a year, that’s the last thing that Derrick would do. He has great respect for the game and he has great respect for the players in the game, too.”
Burgess was not in the Raiders’ locker room during media availability on Monday.
Had backup Aaron Rodgers been available, McCarthy said he would have considered pulling Favre, who finished 15-of-23 for 266 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Rodgers was relegated to the third-string role with a hamstring injury that occurred in practice last week and also may keep him out of Sunday’s game at St. Louis.
r point in the game, we were managing the game, managing the clock. I did not feel that he was in danger.”
Favre said after the game his knees and shin would be fine. He’d already battled through a bruised right elbow and separated left shoulder suffered in the loss to Dallas late last month. The three-time MVP also said he didn’t think Burgess’ hits were dirty.
“I got hit a fair amount. Some seemed kind of low, but I don’t think any of them were on purpose. To me, it’s kind of a vague call from a referee’s standpoint,” Favre said. “Sometimes I think he’s either blocked into a guys or is stumbling or falling. It just happens that way, and to me that’s what happened on that play and the other ones.”
—
AP Sports Writer Josh Dubow in Alameda, Calif. contributed to this report.
Add A Comment